Calibre review

Take control of your electronic book library, organise and deliver items to any device

Rating

Price

RRP: Free

Pros

Manage ebooks and documents in a variety of formats

Cons

Interface lacks finesse

some features deeply hidden

Calibre review

It’s the tablet computer sensation that’s changed the future of consumer technology. We are, of course, talking about Amazon’s Kindle. See what we did there? You thought we were going to get all gushy about the iPad again, didn’t you? But, no, there are other gadgets we admire. The Kindle is top of that list – and with Amazon now selling more ebooks than real books, it’s a bona fide cultural phenomenon.

Although the Kindle has a sleek and tactile physical design and it’s interface is simplicity itself (features which are very Apple-like) it offers little comfort to those who crave more power over their digital books. Collections on the Kindle are tags in everything but name. Transferring files to your device can be a fiddly affair, whether they’re PDF docs or ebooks from rival stores.

That’s where Calibre comes in. It’s a digital book library for your Mac that integrates with your ebook reader, whether that’s a Kindle or one of its rivals. With built-in organisation tools that use real folders, conversion features and download capabilities, it’s a real boon if your virtual library is getting a bit unwieldy. More than that, it’s a must-have if you’re a fan of free books. There are thousands out there. Calibre makes it easy to categorise them and transfer them to your Kindle by WiFi, email or direct USB connection – with just a click.

Track and categorise your digital library with Calibre, a tool ahead of its time

OUR VERDICT

If you have a Kindle and you have a Mac, you need Calibre. It’s as simple as that.